Mark 3 v 1-5 Healing on the Sabbath

No-one can conclude from reading this text that the Pharisees were the least bit offended by Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath.  It is not just the fact that they could not care less that Jesus had (allegedly) broken the law of Moses, but they were waiting, watching and hoping that he would do just that.

There is a striking resemblance between the attitude of the Pharisees and many religious people today.  There are so many Christians who claim to know the scriptures, claim to be followers of Jesus, and claim to live by his teachings, but follow a strict legalistic theology that cynically disregards the needs of others, especially the poor and marginalised.  It would be fair to say that many religious people get satisfaction out of ridiculing, ostracising and condemning others whose beliefs and lifestyles do not fit in with their own.  It gives them an excuse to use these people as scapegoats so they can distract themselves from their own faults, doubts and insecurities.  If they can use the letter of the law to achieve their goals and claim they are speaking by God's authority, then no-one can argue with them.  Or so they think.

Jesus ignored the protestations of the Pharisees and healed the man with the withered hand anyway.  His words were to the effect that whatever is good, whatever gives healing, whatever brings hope already fulfills the requirement of the law.  It appeared that he was more concerned about the ethic of the law rather than a ritualistic compliance with what was written in the law.

A religious life that focuses on absolute adherence to the teaching of the Bible without compassion and open-mindedness towards the real needs of others falls well short of what is required by Jesus.  If we wish to take the words of Jesus literally, this attitude disqualifies us from claiming to be disciples in this world and of course any hope of redemption in the next.   

When asked what was the most important commandment, he answered "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind.  And the second is just as important, love your neighbour as yourself".  We may say we love God.  We may say we love Jesus.  We may also say we love our neighbour.  

But do we love our neighbour as ourselves?  Really?  How often are we prepared to listen to our neighbour's point of view, try and see the position they are coming from, and have the humility to let them make their own sense of the world they are living in rather than imposing our selfish preconceived ideas of what is best for them, or what we think God wants for them?  

Would it not be better to let the Creator Himself decide what is best for those He created, rather than our own personal and often mistaken interpretation of the scriptures?

The greatest law is love.  In fact the only law is love.  It is a summary of the whole ethic of the written laws in scripture.  By healing the man on the Sabbath, Jesus bypassed three of the ten commandments to illustrate his point.  The Pharisees hated him for it, but a lot of religious people, even today, show contempt for God in their words, attitudes and actions.

With some religious people, it is the intolerance of homosexually orientated people whose only 'crime' is looking for a faithful, loving, healing, and intimate companionship with another person of the same sex.  By dictating to them that they should remain celibate all of their lives is denying them their God-given right, dignity and freedom to express their love and emotions in the fullest and most meaningful way possible.

With other religious people, it is contempt towards women choosing to serve God with the gifts and skills he has given them and those women who choose to take on leadership roles in the Church.  It is the same with ethnic groups, and people of different economical and social backgrounds.

But Jesus will have his own way!  There are plenty of ordained women, gays, ethnic groups, and the full spectrum of society working and serving in His Church!  There are plenty of the same people who are not in ordained ministry whose lives have been blessed, healed and enriched by Christ's presence in their lives.  

And all of this despite the loud protests of religious people, especially those who claim to be His followers!